The display on my Ford OEM radio has burned out and the EATC Module won't hold the temperature it is set to after the car is turned off. Always comes back to 75 degrees. The local Ford Dealer Service Dept won't even look at my car because of its age. 1987 T-Bird. I know I could get a modern radio with its more options but I want to keep the car stock. So does anyone know who can repair these old radios? About the electronic EATC Module has anyone had the same problem I've described and has fix the problem or do you know who repairs these Modules?
I am in the process of replacing for the second time the heater core on my 87 T-Bird. The original OEM one lasted only about 8 years. The replacement I got back then from Trak Auto has now failed after 23 years. I had noticed for awhile the smell of antifreeze so I put some radiator stop leak in hoping that would seal the heater core. That didn't work because the heater core erupted while driving and the inside of my car filled with steam. It looked like the NASCAR winners car after they do their victory burnout or a bad Cheech and Chong movie. Thankfully I wasn't that far from home. What I've found so far is that the inlet pipe came completely unsoldered. It pulled out of the firewall as I was pulling the hoses off. Since I knew the heater core was leaking and I figured I'd have to replace it so I had purchased a Motorcraft HC5 heater core but it has a problem with the inlet pipe not being straight so it will need fixing. I was wondering if there is a way to strengthen the heater core so it won't fail again? Because, I may not be physically able to replace the heater core the next time it fails.
I'd been feeling a looseness in the drivers seat on my 87 Tbird for a while now. I thought it was something worn out in seat track. What I found was that both of the front seat track bolts which mount the drivers seat track to the floor were loose. Went to tighten them but both of the welded in mounting nuts in the floor are stripped out. I could not get a good look at the nuts because they are under the carpet. For those of you that have had the carpet out of your cars or anyone that knows what those mounting nuts look like, can the nuts be repaired with a Helicoil thread insert?
Had the alignment on my 87 T-Bird checked today and the readings the Shop gave me are wacky and the reason they gave me for these values was the ball joints were bad and they wanted $450 to do the repair.
Readings were: [table="width: 600, class: grid, align: left"] [tr] [td]Camber L = -4.2 deg[/td] [td]Cross Camber = -7.2 deg[/td] [td]Camber R = +3.0 deg[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Caster L = +2.1 deg[/td] [td]Cross Caster = +0.5 deg[/td] [td]Caster R = +1.6 deg[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Toe L = +1.55 deg[/td] [td]Cross Toe = +1.28 deg[/td] [td]Toe R = -0.27 deg[/td] [/tr] [/table]
The last alignment readings from a different Shop were: [table="width: 600, class: grid, align: left"] [tr] [td]Camber L = -1.6 deg[/td] [td]Cross Camber = +0.4 deg[/td] [td]Camber R = -2.0 deg[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Caster L = +0.6 deg[/td] [td]Cross Caster = +0.1 deg[/td] [td]Caster R = +0.5 deg[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Toe L = -0.39 deg[/td] [td]Cross Toe = -0.81 deg[/td] [td]Toe R = -0.41 deg[/td] [/tr] [/table]
On the right front Camber I don't even think it is possible to get a +3.0 deg reading without having the car damaged in some way. Reason for the recheck was new front springs were installed and the car was pulling to the left slightly. The new springs did raise the front end a little. I'm not worried about the Camber reading because I don't believe those are accurate. My question is going by the Toe readings from today would those readings result in the car to pulling to the left? As for possible bad ball joints I'll check them myself before relying on what this Shop said.
Has anyone been so bold as to installing a drowndraft efi 8 stack intake system? If so, did you have any problems with the install and how does it run.
How much does the camber change when the pop rivet is drilled out on the OEM camber plate and then the camber plate and strut is moved and then the pop rivet is installed in different hole on an 87 T-Bird?
I've been considering swapping out the 87 T-Bird 5.0L stock upper intake, throttle body and EGR with that from a 87 Mustang 5.0L HO. That will be going from 50mm opening to 65mm. Has any one ever tried this or have just upgraded to an aftermarket 65mm setup? If you have done this what effects/results were achieved?
I see from my searches that when forum members have lowered their car with different springs that nearly everyone describes the result in Inches Dropped. I don't know what the starting height of my 87 T-Bird was because the springs have broken on my car. Those of you that have lowered your car can you tell me what is the measurement result you got from the top of the tire to the fender wheel well lip along with the springs you used? FYI, the door sticker on my car says it weighs 2284 LB GAWR Front and 2292 LB GAWR Rear. Thanks.
On my 87 T-bird the left rear of the car sags 1-1/4" compared to the right rear. I've disassembled the entire rear suspension and have found no visible damage or other problem. I've even switched rear springs side to side. Did this thinking that if the left rear spring was weak then when switched the right rear would sag. After the switch there was no difference in the measurements. So I've taken the car to a professional mechanic and he raised the car in the air on his hoist to get a better look under the car. Only thing the mechanic found was that maybe the right front lower control arm was twisted. But he was not really sure since the spring pocket on the left control arm protruded about 1/4" more beyond the under side of the control arm than the left front control arm. The twist he also found was by using a Level and placing it on the on the under side of the control arms and parallel to the tires. The result was the under side of the left control arm was level with the ground with the spring cup was just barely lower that the lips of the control arm. On the right front control arm it was far from being level to the ground and the spring cup protruded about 1/4" lower than that of the left control arm.
My question is there a difference in the shapes of the front lower control arms on an 87 T-bird or is this right control arm twisted or damaged some how?
The ride quality on my near stock suspension 87 T-Bird Sport has turned so harsh it's like riding in a old wagon. The changes from stock are a complete rear set of the Energy Suspension bushings, Moog #8599 springs and KYB Excel-G struts and Gas-A-Just shocks all of which are several years old now. The cornering ability of the car is great. Can take X-way cloverleaf exit ramps at 55 mph but any dip or bump in the road is back/butt jarring. I don't remember the ride quality being so harsh when the car was new. When polyurethane bushings get old do they start seizing up or could something else be going wrong with the suspension?
I'd like to know if there is a way to repair the pitted surface of the black quarter window glass trim? The sun and weather has so kindly destroyed the trim around both quarter glasses on my 87 Sport. My T-Bird would look like new if it wasn't for the pitted black trim.
There is a problem with the left rear tire loosing traction when making a left turn with my 87 T-Bird. The tires 215/70/14 are new and the car has the trac-lok differential. There is no traction loss when making right turns. Where should I start looking to correct this problem?
I'm getting spoiled driving these new cars that have Backup Cameras GPS and better radios. I'd like to add these to my 87 T-Bird but all I'm finding is separate electronic devices. Each with there own screen. It would be really nice to find an aftermarket device that has everything built-in. If any one has installed something like this or at least a Backup Camera system would you kindly show photos of your install and the equipment you chose. Thanks.
The EATC in my 87 T-Bird Sport will not hold the temperature setting. I'll set it for any temperature other than 75 deg and when I turn the key off and then back on the temperature returns to the default 75 deg. The local Ford dealer service department was not thrilled about troubleshooting the problem. Does any one know where I could send the EATC for repairs?
I'm an original owner of a 87 Thunderbird Sport 5.0L. I've never been happy with how my car handled in any weather condition be it dry, rain or snow no mater the brand of tires that were on the car. To me the car is just to lite ( NASCAR Loose ) in the rear end. I've had the car spin out pulling out a parking lot on to a street. In the rain there is absolutely no traction from a stoplight. Then forget about driving the car in 4 or more inches of snow. The time has come to get new tires for the car after one blew out on the x-way at 60 MPH. My tire research has turned up that there is very limited 215/70/14 tires now days. So I was considering doing a plus size tire and wheel change and I don't have to change the speedo gear in the trans so I want to stay with the factory tire diameter which is 25.9 inches. This makes possible tire sizes of 225/50/17, 255/45/17, 245/45/18, 255/40/18 according to . I know the 225/50/17 will fit with no problem but not sure about the others.
My questions are, what All-Season brand tire has the best traction. What is the largest wheel/tire combination ( want to have the same size front to back ) that will clear all of the suspension and fenders. Also need to know the wheel offset.
